Riddler's Game
by quiet-raindrop
Summary: Before he could make his move, a wind seemed to blow past him. It was like all his energy was draining. What . . . was . . ? He blinked rapidly trying to ward off whatever it was that had been thrown on him. It wasn't working. The world went fuzzy.


**Author's Note: **I do one thing in writing this story that I have always avoided in previous ones. I have used a real Batman villain. I have no real confidence in

writing any of them so I usually don't. So, technically, the Riddler doesn't really appear for long, but hey, I tried.

**Disclaimer: **I don't think anyone will think I own Batman, I sure don't.

* * *

**Riddler's Game**

This was bad.

Robin quickly caught his hook on the next building and swung across over the dark city.

Batman was on the other side of town and Batgirl had not checked in at the scheduled time. Using his tracker device, he could at least pinpoint her last

location—the top of an old factory plant near the shipyard.

He landed expertly on the roof and scanned the area.

Nothing.

Where was she? Was she okay?

"Looking for something?"

A voice from the dark came out smooth and teasingly.

A shadow moved, and a glimmer of light from the moon glanced over a green bowler cap. A smile of white teeth gleamed out at him.

"Riddler, where is Batgirl?" Robin knew he wasn't going to get a simple answer but he asked anyway.

The tall man swung around his cane as he seemed to ponder this. He came to a stop and his eyes shown out playfully behind his green mask.

"I ask the questions usually." He said with some glee. "But I suppose that I can give that one to you."

With a flourish, he pointed with his cane to a corner of the rooftop.

Walking carefully, Robin headed in that direction.

A form lay sprawled out on the ground.

Rushing over, he carefully scooped up her head. Batgirl was out cold.

"What are you up to?" He said fiercely.

"Just trying a new game." Riddler answered innocently. "Oh my, I am getting terrible. I keep giving you answers." He gave out a grin that made Robin's blood

boil.

"Then you're about to lose." He spat.

Keeping Batgirl behind him, Robin stood up and faced the dapper green figure.

Before he could make his move, a wind seemed to blow past him. It was like all his energy was draining. What . . . was . . ? He blinked rapidly trying to ward off

whatever it was that had been thrown on him.

It wasn't working.

The world went fuzzy.

"I just love two player games!"

They were the last words Robin heard before he blacked out.

* * *

Robin shot up as quickly as possible.

"Master Dick, it is alright you are safe and sound back home."

The familiar sight of the batcave and Alfred's calm voice immediately put him at ease.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired, but okay." Dick said after he thought about it.

"It was a good thing that Master Bruce can make excellent time." Alfred commented as he stood up from the boy's side.

Dick blinked a few more times and rubbed his eyes. Knockout gas was a killer.

"Do you think you can stand? I'm sure you would be much more comfortable in your bed." Alfred suggested.

"Yeah I guess so." Dick swung his feet off to the side of the medical bed and tried his feet on the floor.

They seemed okay.

"Is it morning?"

Alfred nodded.

"Indeed. You slept the rest of the night."

Dick yawned and looked around.

"Did Babs get back home?"

"Did what?" Alfred questioned. He turned around to face the boy.

"Babs. Did she get home?"

Alfred blinked.

"Are you quite sure you want to stand?" He asked.

Dick gave a laugh.

"I'm fine. Was Babs okay though? She was knocked out when I found her."

Alfred looked concerned.

"I didn't realize that someone else was up there with you."

Dick's eyes widened.

"Surely Bruce got her though." He pointed out. He could not have fallen much farther from her.

"Her dad is going to freak if she's not home. Where's Bruce?"

"He said that he would be back in a moment. Now what about this girl?"

"Barbara?" Dick questioned.

"You know her name?"

"Of course I know her name Alfred. It's _Barbara. _Barbara Gordon." Dick eyed Alfred. How long had he been up?

"Master Dick, you really shouldn't play such games. It makes me worry." Alfred said with a slight smile. "Now wait here please."

Dick sat back down on the bed.

What was up with Alfred?

A few moments later, Bruce came back down.

"Dick are you alright?" He asked seriously approaching the boy.

"I'm fine Bruce." He answered. "But we might have to be concerned about Alfred. He's acting weird."

"_Alfred_ is acting weird?" Bruce said softly.

"Yeah. He was acting like he didn't know Barbara." Dick rolled his eyes.

"Who?" Bruce asked.

"Oh, come on!" Dick said with a sigh. "I know you think that I sometimes joke around at the wrong moments, but you don't need to make your point right

now."

"Master Dick?" Alfred voice came through on one of the speakers. "There is someone here to see you. Do you feel up to it or shall I tell her that you aren't feeli .

. ."

"I'll be right up!" Dick called out after he had pressed a button to speak back to the butler. If Barbara was feeling okay, than he was sure he could make it.

"You should probably change." Bruce pointed out.

Dick looked down and realized that he was just in sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Right then." He agreed. He dashed off.

Bruce watched him warily.

* * *

Rushing down the stairs, Dick did a 360 by the large mirror and decided that he looked fine. Sliding into the hall at a rate that Alfred would not approve of, he

made a left and bumped in . . .

"Master Dick . . ."

"I know, I know, sorry." He apologized to the Englishman who looked reproachful at him.

"And you're sure that you are fine?"

"Honestly Alfred, you two have gotten a little overprotective. And you are one to talk. You shouldn't tease me like that." He passed by the butler, but his feet

froze and backpedaled when he saw who was at the door.

"Who is that?" He asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Alfred looked passed him. "Honestly Master Dick this game has gone far enough. Behave today." He instructed with a smile.

Dick walked slowly to the front door where the girl stood. She was blond, wearing pink lipstick, and was definitely not Babs.

"Hi." He said shortly. Was she someone from school? It was summer though.

"Ready to go?" The questioned was perky. Perky did not agree with him.

"Sure." He answered since nothing else came to mind. He had to find Babs.

"Did you decide where we are going?" She asked as they walked out the door.

"Oh, I forgot." Dick said.

She laughed. It was kind of shrill.

"That's okay silly. We can just walked around town."

He said nothing. He looked around the path. Where was Babs? Did she make it home?

"What are you looking for?" The girl asked him.

There was no harm in telling her that he could think of.

"Babs." He answered. Maybe he should try her cell.

"What's a babs?"

"It's not an 'it' it's a _her_." He clarified.

"Oh, you got a dog?" The girl looked around excitedly.

Dick made a face.

"No."

"A cat? I looooove cats!"

"No it's . . . I mean she's my girlfriend." He said frankly.

The girl burst out laughing. That shrill tone again.

"Oh, Dick you are so funny, but that is a little too far."

Dick stopped walking.

"Why is that so funny?"

She gave a giggle.

"And you can say it with a straight face! I love that." She brought her hand down from her mouth. "Because silly," She said taking a step closer to him than he

would have liked. "_I'm _your girlfriend."

* * *

Dick suddenly couldn't breathe.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "Alfred said that you seemed a bit off today."

"I'm fine." Dick said taking a step back to regain his personal space.

"Good. Then let's keep walking." She led the way.

Dick walked frozen beside her.

What was going on?

A game.

_Riddler's _game. The game he talked about. Where was Babs?

"So did you decide if we are going to Melissa's party this weekend?

"Sure." Dick agreed just to say something.

"Really? That was easy." The girl next to him said. "You sometime put up such a fight."

They turned the corner and took the street into the main city.

"Hey." She spoke up while looping her arm into his. "You haven't said anything about my new shoes."

Dick stopped and tried to shift out of her arm. He looked down passed her pink pants to her feet.

They were sporting a pair of hot pink wedges.

"They're nice." He said, while thinking how wonderful it was that Barbara never said stuff like that to him.

Barbara always wore her favorite pair of sneaker that had holes. It always made Dick wish that he could wear shoes with holes, but Alfred would never let him.

"You are not a hobo."

Those were the British man's exact words.

"I know aren't they? My feet look so cute. Do you think that they would go with the dress that I wore to that last charity party with you?"

Dick tried to shake off the idea of spending an entire evening with this girl. What sort of sick idea was this? She was the exact opposite of Barbara.

"Sure." He answered not caring if it was true or not. He had to find Barbara.

The girl hung onto his arm again.

"Oh, let's go look over there!" She pointed across the street at a shoe store.

"Fine." Dick said crossing the street.

Did she have to hang onto his arm that way? Could she not walk by herself?

"I have to try those on!" She squealed as she pointed at the sandals behind the glass.

"I'll wait here." Dick said firmly.

She looked disappointed. "Aw, Dick . . ."

"Are you thirsty or something?" He asked trying to think quickly. "I'll go buy something to drink."

She smiled.

"You're so sweet. I'll see you in a bit." She blew him a kiss before going inside.

Dick tried to shake the smell of her perfume off him. It was probably eating his liver by now after having breathed all that in.

"This is crazy. Where is Babs?"

He looked around.

She had to be in this Gotham somewhere. It wouldn't be like Riddler to hide her. She had to be somewhere he could find her. There would probably be a puzzle

or a . . .

He saw a fruit stand outside of a general store and figured that he could at least by something to drink for . . . He wondered what his girlfriend's name was

anyway.

"Did I just think that?" Dick exclaimed out loud. The thought was sickening. How did Alfred even let him date her?

He reached the edge of the fruit stand and stared at the rows of produce.

"Can I help you?" A voice asked.

"Yeah, do you sell drinks?"

"There's a machine inside."

"Thank yo . . ." Dick turned around and froze. "Babs?"

The red-haired girl blinked.

"What?"

"Babs!" Dick let out a breath of relief. "What are you doing here?"

She took a step back.

"I work here duh, and that's not my name."

Dick's smile faded.

"Sure it is. You're Batgirl. Do you not remember?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Listen weird kid, move along."

She gave him a glare that she usually only reserved for kids that she didn't like. Dick had never received it in his life.

"Babs but it's . . ." He argued as he followed her back over to the stack of crates.

"Listen. Go away or I'll call the cops." She threatened.

"Don't do that." Dick ordered. "This would be a really bad time for me to talk to your dad."

Barbara's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about? My dad's not a cop." She picked up another crate. "Are you sure you don't have me confused with someone else? I'm sure that

there are a lot of red-heads in town."

Dick opened his mouth to argue back when something caught his eye. That blond girl.

He ducked behind a shrub near the stand.

"Listen Babs, it's you. The Riddler just . . ."

"Are you avoiding your girlfriend?"

Barbara put her hands on her hips acting as if she had just figured something out.

"No." Dick said shaking his head.

"Uh, huh." She said disbelieving.

"She's not my girlfriend. I can honestly say that I've never met her before today."

The look in Barbara's blue eyes told him that she didn't believe that.

"There you are!" A perky voice called out.

"Still keeping with that story?" Barbara asked teasingly.

The blond girl waited to cross the street. A bag from the shoe store was in her hand.

"She just bought a pair of shoes." Dick muttered.

"Girls. Go figure." Barbara said as she walked away.

"Wait Babs don't . . ."

"Dick there you are. Look I bought them!" She held the bad out.

"Yeah, that's great." He mumbled. Barbara had gone back into the general store.

"Did you find something to drink?"

"Uh, yeah. I was working on that."

"It's getting warm out here. Maybe we should find someplace inside to get a drink." She suggested.

"Uh, okay."

She once again took his arm and steered him away.

He had to talk with Babs and wake her up from whatever had made her forget. He had to get out of this . . . ugh . . . date . . .

He decided to go with a classic.

Every foot or so, he would give a cough.

By the fifth time, she picked up on it.

"Are you okay Dick?"

"Uh, yea. Just feeling tired." He rubbed his throat.

"Alfred said something like that." She looked concerned. "Do you feel okay?"

"Well now that you mention it, my throat does kind of hurt."

She carefully brought her hand up and laid it on his forehead.

It took just about everything in him not to slap it off.

"You don't feel too warm. Do you think you should go home?"

Finally, he was getting somewhere.

"Well, I hate to wreck our . . ." He swallowed hard. "Date."

"Aw, it's okay." She said giving him a smile. "You just need to feel better. I'll call you later okay?"

Dick nodded giving a real smile. He was going to be free of her.

"Good."

She gave him another smile and leaned towards him.

It was almost too late before he realized . . .

"Wait! Uh . . ." Dick pulled back quickly.

Wow, her lips had gotten too close for his liking. "Uh, you shouldn't. I mean, my cold or whatever . . ." He said as fast as possible.

"You are so sweet." She said poking him in the chest. "But . . ." She slid her arms over his shoulders. "I'll risk it."

"No uh . . ." Dick objected trying to hold her back. "It could be the flu or something and . . ." He had to think on her level. " . . . I wouldn't want you to miss the

party."

"Alright silly. It's sweet of you to think of that." The blond girl rubbed her nose against his as she slid her arms off his shoulders. She then kissed the tip of his

nose.

"Feel better. I want you to come with me this weekend okay?"

Dick nodded as he tried to hold off the need to wipe off his nose.

She squeezed his hand and headed off down the road.

Dick rubbed his nose.

* * *

"Babs."

"You again? Did you ditch your girlfriend?" She turned around at the sound of his voice.

Dick was not in the mood to be teased—especially by Barbara, _especially _about having a girlfriend.

"Just listen . . ." He begged.

"There has got to be an easier way to get rid of her than that." Barbara pointed out.

"Would you just . . ."

She walked back inside and came out with another crate.

"What _is _your name then?" Dick asked.

"Why would I tell you?" She told him.

"Because your nametag doesn't say."

The red-haired girl paused and set down the crate. Pulling at her vest, she saw that her name tag was void of any name.

"This is silly. My name is . . ."

"Barbara." Dick said.

"No." She argued. "It's . . ." She looked around.

"Isn't that weird? How do you not know your name?" He pressed.

She looked confused.

"I'm sure I do." She said softly.

"When is your break?" Dick asked.

"Why should I tell . . .?"

"Please just trust me here. Walk to the park that is over a few blocks with me."

She bit her lip and stared at her watch.

"Hold on." She went back outside and came back no longer wearing her vest.

"Still like oranges?" He asked her.

"That could just be a guess." She argued. "But yes."

Dick took two off the stand and put some money in the box.

"Come on." He handed her one.

She slowly followed.

He _had _to think of something to remind her? This must be part of the game.

Looking beside him, Barbara kept some distance between them.

What could he say to convince her?

"Hey do you remember that time when we took on the Penguin and Batman wasn't around?" He asked.

She looked at him like he was an idiot.

Maybe he should start with something simpler.

"Okay. Your name is Barbara Gordon. You are really smart and have been my best friend since we were really little. You like fruity scents over flowery, you don't

like white chocolate, and you are always the best student in class."

He watched her face for a reaction.

"You have a really odd way of hitting on girls." Barbara said with a laugh as she peeled her orange.

"I'm _not _hitting on you!" Dick said with frustration. "I don't need to hit on you because _you _are my girlfriend!"

She shook her head and put a piece of orange into her mouth.

"Fine. Tell me something about yourself." Dick ordered.

"I don't have to."

"You mean you don't know." Dick stated.

"No, I just mean I don't have to tell some strange kid about myself."

Dick had a feeling though that he was right, but that she wasn't going to admit it.

He stood there quite uncertain what to do.

A plan came to his mind.

Moving quickly so that she couldn't stop him, he reached over and held her tightly giving her a kiss. He felt her freeze. He pulled back.

Her mouth was hanging open.

"What on earth was that about?" She said. She looked angry.

"Shoot. That usually works in stories."

"What are you talking about? Do you always just go around and kiss random girls?"

"No!" Dick said defending himself.

"Well, I'm leaving."

"No Babs don't!" He reached out and pulled her back.

She slapped his hand away.

"Leave me alone Dick!" She snapped.

"Wait." Dick said slowly. "You knew my name."

"What?"

"You knew my name. How?" Excitement filled his voice.

She looked confused.

"I don't know . . . just leave me alone."

"Not until you remember Babs! We have to get out of this place."

"Let go of my arm." She replied pulling it away. "Don't make me hit you."

"Go ahead and try." Dick dared.

She took a swing and he dodged it easy. He swung back and she blocked him.

"See? You even remember how to fight Batgirl."

"Don't call me that. And I don't . . . ." She seemed to grow uneasy on her feet.

"Careful." Dick said as he reach out to her. She blinked a few times as he helped her sit on the ground.

"Babs? Can you hear me?"

She seemed like she was in a trance. Suddenly, her eyes went shut.

"Babs!" Dick exclaimed as he shook her. "Wake up!" He pleaded.

Her eyes slowly opened.

"Dick?" She asked softly.

"Babs? Is it you? I mean, do you remember?" He hugged her a bit tighter.

"I think so." She rubbed her head. "I felt like I was trapped. I could see you, but I couldn't talk. I felt like I was trapped inside a machine or something."

Dick gave a sigh of relief and looked around.

"Wait, I don't think that we are out yet. The Riddler's game is still going."

"That's right, I came across him." Barbara said recalling some more. "What is the point of all this?"

"I have no idea." Dick admitted.

"But _you _remembered everything right?" Barbara asked him. "I felt like I couldn't."

Dick nodded.

"Part of the game I guess. So what is the point of this game if it's not to wake you up?"

"Is anyone else here?"

"Well, I don't think that anyone was gassed besides us. My part of this . . . game has Bruce and Alfred. Though they didn't know who you were."

"I didn't even have my dad." Barbara said thoughtfully. "Maybe we have to convince them that I'm someone."

"Oh, that will not be easy. They think that I'm joking with them." He explained.

"Well you have me now." Barbara pointed out. "I'm sure that we can convince them."

Dick wasn't so sure, but they had to try.

* * *

Dick opened the door quickly to the manor and let Barbara and himself in. Alfred was quick to notice his return.

"Master Dick? Did you not feel well enough to . . ." The butler's words died upon entering the room as soon as he saw Barbara.

"Who is this?" He asked it politely but Dick could tell that he was concerned about something.

"Barbara." Dick said firmly. He hoped that her presence might be enough to make Alfred remember, but that wasn't the case.

"The girl from last night? What is she doing here?"

"You don't remember me Alfred?" Barbara tried not to be hurt. She knew that this dream Alfred really wasn't Alfred but . . .

"I'm very sorry my dear." He apologized but seemed to stare at her hard.

"Are you sure? I helped you make blueberry muffins once in the fall. You pick me up from school some days with Dick."

"I just don't . . ."

He trailed off in thought.

"Where's Bruce?" Dick asked. They needed to work on him too if that was how Riddler's game worked.

"Master Bruce is attending to business."

"You mean he's in the cave." Dick clarified.

Alfred's eye widened and he glanced at Barbara.

"Master Richard." He said firmly.

"It's alright Alfred. Don't you remember? I'm Batgirl. I'm in the cave all the time."

Alfred's mouth opened and then shut.

"Master Richard, this has gone too far."

"Alfred." Dick pleaded. "Do you really think that I'd joke about this?"

The butler looked confused and put a hand to his chin.

Barbara tried to think of something.

"I can even tell you your recipe. Two cups of flour, a half cup of sugar, two teaspoons of . . ."

Dick stood there in amazement as she rattled off the entire recipe complete with oven temperature and even how to store them.

Alfred looked shocked.

"I know for certain that Master Dick does not know that, so I forced to believe that I must know you."

Alfred's form seemed to blip for a moment almost like he was a projected computer image.

Then he disappeared altogether.

Dick grabbed Barbara's hand and made sure that she was still there.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere yet." She said softly. It was kind of scary to see Alfred, even a fake one, disappear like that.

"Then I guess we have to go convince Bruce."

The task was going to be formidable.

* * *

"Bruce are you down here?" Dick called out as Barbara followed behind him.

"So this is a game in our heads, but how are we having the same . . . dream?" Barbara asked as they continued to descend.

"Probably a part of Riddler's 'game'." Dick replied.

"Will we remember when we wake up? I mean, are we asleep do you think?"

"Well, you were out cold when I found you."

"Dick? Is that you?"

"I'm coming Bruce!"

Barbara grabbed his hand.

"This is a game we are playing in our minds. So that should mean that however Bruce is portrayed in our heads that is how he will appear. So let's try not to be

so . . . worried about convincing him. He's only a product of our imagination."

Dick nodded, but swallowed hard.

He was pretty certain that even this fake Bruce was going to be intimidating.

Bruce turned around as soon as soon as they reached the computer level.

"What is she doing here?" His voice rose with anger.

Dick swallowed.

"Don't panic. It's just Bar . . ."

"I don't care who she is get her . . ."

Dick stood firmly between Bruce and Barbara.

He felt Barbara's hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay." She whispered.

"Listen Bruce," Dick began. "You have got to remember. I'm not quite sure how, since you're not technically real, but . . ."

"What are you talking about Dick? What on earth did the Riddler do to make you this confused? She has to go." He said pointing at Barbara.

Dick turned to look back at Barbara for support, and found her staring intently at the bat-computer.

"Let's say this is just a pre-programmed game Dick. Riddler puts us in and however the game turns out is up to us. So far, it's not like he's interfering, so I think

that what happens here is still in our control." Barbara said.

"What does that mean then?" Dick said hesitantly.

Bruce seemed to just be staring at the both of them.

"I don't think that we really have to play this game. He just wants us to think that we do. We can exit at any time."

Dick looked surprised.

"You think so?"

"Dick, you are marching that girl straight back upstairs and . . ."

"No." Barbara spat out using a tone that she had never used with Bruce before. "Because I am refusing to play this game. She reached over and took Dick's

hand.

"Ready to go back?"

"Uh, how?"

"This whole world is just in our minds. So close your eyes and believe that."

"Can it be that simple?" Dick wondered.

"The Riddler usually just makes answers seem more complicated than they are." Barbara said matter-of-factually. "So let's get back to the real batcave."

"Just what do you two . . ?"

Bruce's words faded into oblivion.

* * *

"Master Dick? Master Dick?"

His eyes opened slowly.

"Are you awake? Are you alright?" Alfred asked softly.

Dick sat up slowly and eyed him.

"Is Babs okay?"

Alfred blinked.

"Miss Gordon? I think so. She was out cold like you and has yet to wake . . ." Alfred's voice trailed off as he look across to the other bed where she was lying.

Barbara rubbed her eyes.

"Babs!" Dick called out, sliding his feet to the floor and walking quickly over to her. "Are you okay? Do you remember?"

She nodded slowly.

"I can't believe I thought my dad wasn't a cop. It was so strange like I wasn't allowed to think otherwise."

Alfred looked at both of them concerned.

"It seems like a lot happened out there."

"Not out there." Dick said. "In here." He tapped his head. "Riddler had us playing a new game."

"Sounds harrowing. Would you both like a drink?"

They both nodded.

Dick climbed up on Barbara bed as Alfred walked away.

"Are you okay though?" He asked worried.

"I'm fine." She assured him. "It was weird though. It was like I was me, but I wasn't. It must have been scary for you though. You being the only one really

awake. I guess being the last player to join meant that you were the first that had to start playing."

"Yeah it was a little scary. I had no idea what to do, but it got better once I found you."

She gave him a sweet smile and he leaned over.

Her warm soft lips were comforting. Dick felt himself relax more.

She was safe and everything was back to normal.

"Dick." Barbara hissed slightly pushing him back a bit. She nodded in Alfred's direction.

"Sorry, I forgot that he was here." Dick smiled sheepishly.

"I have informed Master Bruce that you are awake and in good spirits."

He handed them both a glass of water and gave them a knowing smile that caused both of them to blush and turn away.

"So what happened?" He asked.

"Uh," Dick cleared his throat. "We were both in some weird parallel dream world thing. You and Bruce didn't know who Barbara was and neither did she."

"Well, at least it was obvious that it was a fake world. I would never forget Miss Gordon."

Barbara smiled in response.

Heavy footsteps were heard coming down the stairs. Bruce came to a stop in front of them.

"Are you both okay?" He asked off the bat.

"Yeah." Barbara said. Dick nodded.

"Alfred said something about the Riddler?"

"Yeah just another game." Dick spoke up.

"That explains why I found both of you alone and basically not hurt. What kind of game?"

"A weird mind one. It was like I woke up here, only things were different. No one could remember Barbara and when I found her, I had to convince her of who

she was. Then we thought that maybe we had to go back and convince the both of you, but Barbara decided that if it was a game that we were in control of

we could stop at any time."

Dick turned to Barbara to see if she wanted to add anything.

"I'm not quite sure how the gas he used put us under like that, but we actually were able to have the same dream, but we played different roles."

"But you were in charge of the dream?" Bruce asked.

"I guess once Dick woke me up, if you will, that meant that both players were awake and that we could decide to quit if we wanted to. I don't think that he

could have alone." She mused.

"Well, I suppose that we better keep an eye out for the Riddler and his 'dream gas'. Both of you need to get more rest."

Dick and Barbara exchanged a smile.

Bruce always ordered more rest, even if it really wasn't needed.

A thought than struck Barbara.

"What _I_ would like to know is that why, when given the chance, Dick gave himself a blond girlfriend."

Bruce raised an eyebrow and even Alfred stopped to listen.

"What? I did not! None of that was my idea!" Dick said quickly.

Barbara crossed her arms. There was no way she was going to let him off easily.

"I didn't . . . she just showed up! She was annoying . . . and was shrill. She asked me about her shoes Babs. Her shoes!" He added emphatically. "She was the

exact opposite of everything that I would want. If I could choose what . . ." Dick stopped short. "I mean . . . I have you Babs."

"That was close." Bruce muttered.

Dick shot him a glare.

Barbara let a teasing smile cross her face.

"You should have seen him Bruce. The look on his face. You would have thought the girl was the plague or something."

"It's not funny. I was the one stuck with her. I can't believe you let me date her Alfred." Dick chastised.

"I am thoroughly ashamed of my other self." Alfred said seriously. "I will have to talk to him." Alfred picked up the tray and carried it up the stairs.

"Oh, my dad." Barbara said staring at the clock.

"He already was called. You fell asleep over here and Alfred hated to wake you." Bruce informed her. "Now, both of you, to bed."

Dick waited till he had left to turn to Barbara.

'Babs you know that . . ."

"I know." She said with a smile. "I was just teasing."

"Good." He said relieved as slouched back on the pillow beside her. "She was wearing the worst perfume and kept holding onto my arm."

"Poor little Robin." Barbara said with a smirk.

They both stared up at the ceiling of the cave. Neither of them were tired.

"Hey Babs?" Dick asked sitting up straighter. "Can you do something for me?"

"Sure boy wonder, what?" She sat up and crossed her legs.

"Would you kiss my nose?"

It was the only way he could think of permanently getting rid of the bad feeling.

She raised an eyebrow, but complied.

"Better?" She asked.

"Much." Dick confirmed. His nose felt normal again.

"Should I ask?"

"No."

She would tease him about it to no end.

"So since neither of us feels like sleeping what do you want to do? Do you want to play a gam . . ?" He froze. "Bad timing on that, huh?"

"Yeah." Barbara agreed.

"A book it is then."

* * *

**Random End Notes: **Did all that make sense? I hope so. I had fun with this one.

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


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